The North Carolina mining and mineral industry has over 800 active permitted mines, annual sales in excess of $800 million, and an estimated employment of over 100,000 (including service and ancillary organizations). The 2007 Minerals Yearbook for North Carolina, the latest report available from the U.S. Geological Survey, values nonfuel raw mineral production at $1.2 billion for the state. With the overall direct and indirect economic impact of mining in the state of nearly $11.3 billion annually, mineral resources also represent a key component of the economy in the Mountain Resources Commission (MRC) region.
As of October 2011, 101 out of the 121 MRC permitted mines remain active, helping to assist North Carolina lead the world in the production of high-purity quartz and in leading the nation in production of feldspar, mica, and olivine. The value of crushed stone reported by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2007 for the 21 Western North Carolina counties in Region 1 (MRC counties excluding Alexander, Alleghany, Cleveland, Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin) was $155 million, or ~17 percent of the state’s total. The 2007 value of construction sand and gravel for Region 1 was $5.73 million, or ~9 percent of the state’s total.
